Thrombophlebitis

Thrombophlebitis of the leg was an occasion in our family to use some of the concepts developed in the Edgar Cayce material. The physician is told to “heal thyself.” So my wife Gladys and I went to “work on her left great saphenous vein when it became inflamed recently. There was tenderness, moderate to severe pain, palpable thrombus but no edema. Inflammation appeared and coursed up over the medial aspect of the knee; five to six inches of the structure were clinically involved. The symptoms started one evening, worsened during the night, and therapy began midmorning the next day.

Treatment in this case was: (1) light, high-vitamin diet with forced fluids; (2) castor oil pack over the affected area held in place with Ace bandage; (3) increased vitamin intake (probably not necessary if #1 is followed); and (4) the healing hands of a friend.

Diet, in our opinion, is a valuable therapeutic tool in every illness, diet especially in an acute condition. The castor oil pack has always been the most important of these treatments, and we have used it over the years in similar cases.

Her response was quite remarkable, as in some of our prior experiences with superficial thrombophlebitis. The pack was applied during the day on the first and second day. By the time 24 hours had passed, there was no redness, no pain, and only a faint residual of tenderness. In 36 hours, there were no remaining symptoms or abnormal findings; the patient was well; there was no recurrence.

The usual response to conventional therapy (elastic bandage and an anti-inflammatory agent) is relief of pain and swelling in five to seven days. If not resolved by then, vascular surgery is often recommended; the excision of the affected veins can then hasten a cure and prevent deep extension of’ the thrombus and possible pulmonary embolism. Nothing is mentioned in articles or texts about the importance of dietary principles in either preventing or treating a thrombophlebitis. And certainly castor oil packs have not yet evolved into the medical literature.